


Some things are meant to be

by Firecadet



Series: Firecadet Soft Wars stories [9]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Flirting, F/M, Fluff and Humor, The Force has a will of it's own, Unexpected Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 13:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30106326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firecadet/pseuds/Firecadet
Summary: Three years after the end of the Clone Wars, Cal Kestis and Jaro Tapal are drawn to Dathomir by the Force
Relationships: Cal Kestis & Jaro Tapal, Cal Kestis/Merrin
Series: Firecadet Soft Wars stories [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1986859
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25
Collections: Open Source Soft Wars





	Some things are meant to be

"Will we meet any of the Nightsisters?" Cal Kestis asked Master Jaro Tapal, as the Albedo Brave settled into a geostationary orbit above Dathomir.

"That is part of the purpose of this trip, Padawan." The Lasat Jedi replied, adjusting his robes slightly as they walked down the corridor towards the shuttle bay. "Ever since..." he paused. Neither of them needed him to say any more. "I have felt an urge to bring you here. Now you are all but an adult... the Force has grown more insistent."

"I see, Master." Cal observed.

"Trust in the Force, Padawan. Let it guide you. Follow your instincts."

"I always do, Master."

"Hmph. Was that how you ended up in a cantina on Bracca, gambling with three months of your allowance and your lightsaber?"

"I kept my lightsaber and my allowance, Master. The Houk was trying to bluff on a pair and two queens."

"And how did you know that?"

"Because I could see the reflection of his hand in the mirror I'd attached to the ceiling, Master."

Jaro snorted. "Cheating at cards, Padawan? What will you stoop to next?"

Cal gave him a lopsided grin

"Whatever I learn from Sharp and Straight, probably."

Even Jaro laughed at that. "I'm sure that you're learning a lot from those lessons."

Stepping into the LAAT, Jaro looked over at his Padawan. "Cal, when we get to Dathomir, there are a few things to remember: Dathomir is not, and never has been a republic world. The Nightsisters are in charge. They are Force Users, but they use the Force very differently. They're also... predators. If you do the wrong thing, or meet the wrong person, you may be in a lot of danger." As he spoke, the LAAT took off, and dropped down into the gravity well of Dathomir.

"But if I allow the Force to guide me..."

"Exactly."

Cal nodded, before the LAAT rocked slightly in the high winds. "Are we expected?"

"I imagine they are expecting us." Jaro observed. "Although the Order has little to do with the Nightsisters, they are generally very aware of their wishes and their surroundings."

Cal nodded, before the LAAT dropped into a wooden landing pad, near a large stone fortress.

"You will explore the surrounding area, Padawan. For me... there are some ruins nearby that have interested me since I first read of them."

Jaro clambered out of the LAAT and headed off, leaving Cal to his own devices.

Walking through the swamp, it took surprisingly little time for Cal to discover that he had a visitor. He was catching his breath on a small muddy island, when he heard a voice behind him.

"So, a Jedi comes to Dathomir. And he sends his Padawan off alone, into the swamps."

Cal spun around. Ahead of him, leaning against a tree, which he would have sworn there was no-one even vaguely next to seconds earlier, was a slim girl around his own age. There were some differences, though. Her skin was grey, while her hair was only a slightly different shade. It matched the tattoos on her face, making her warm brown eyes stand out from her face.

"Many things can happen to a Jedi padawan, all alone and lost in the swamps. There are so many things out there that would consider you an appetizer."

"I can defend myself." Cal replied. "Who are you?"

"Merrin." The girl replied, slinking closer to him on the small island. "Your master is busy studying the ruins several miles away. You're all alone... except for me. What is your name, Jedi?"

"Cal Kestis. And, um, this is starting to sound like the opening scene of some sort of horror flick." Cal replied.

Merrin looked up, startled. "A what?"

"A horror flick. You know, a holographic film in which people are disincorporated in horribly graphic ways by a barely seen monster." He shouldn't have known that, of course. But several of the clones aboard the Abeldo Brave had snuck him such things, over the years.

He noticed that Merrin's warm eyes seemed to almost be dancing. "I see. So, tell me... if this was a 'horror flick', how would this scene continue?"

"You'd lead me back to your secret lair, and bad things would happen to me. My Master would come and investigate, and end up fighting some sort of flesh construct made from my corpse."

Merrin grinned. "Alas... you have foiled my plan. You figured it out perfectly." She struck, suddenly.

Before Cal could react or defend himself, he had a female body entwined with his, producing some exceptionally interesting sensations. A pair of warm brown eyes danced a few inches from his own.

"Mhm... that feels nice..." Merrin whispered. "To complete the effect, all you need to do is wrap your arms around me and pull me close."

"I'm worried that, if I do that, I'm going to have trouble letting go again." Cal admitted.

"Would that be such a bad thing?"

"I suppose not." Cal responded, wrapping his arms around her. The sensation was almost electric, as certain primitive parts of his psyche responded to the sensation of a warm female body in his arms.

"What's the next step?" Merrin asked. "We're embracing, are we not? And I can feel how much you want to go further."

"I'm a Jedi."

"And I sensed you as soon as you entered the system, Cal Kestis. Your presence... I didn't expect to feel so drawn to it, until you were closer."

"I see." Cal responded.

Merrin's head suddenly darted forward, like a bird pecking at a grub. Their lips met, brushing for a few instants.

And Cal felt a bell-like tone in the Force around them, as if a tuning fork had been struck in the air.

"Well... he murmured. "I've never felt that before."

"I'm not running away from you, Jedi."

"I suppose you're not." Cal replied, as he leant forward and kissed her, properly, this time.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

When Cal returned to the landing pad where the shuttle waited, his robes were still muddy. Both of them had tried all of the available options to get the mud out, even after the Nydack attack. Merrin was walking a step behind Cal, for now. Their thoughts were continually flickering back and forth, down a force-bond that had rapidly developed between them.

When Jaro Tapal returned, he looked at the pair, and chuckled. "So, this is why the Force wanted to bring you here." He observed. "Sometimes, it does have plans."

"Master Jaro Tapal, this is Merrin, a nightsister. Merrin, this is Master Jaro Tapal, my Jedi Master."

"A pleasure to meet you, Merrin." Jaro rumbled, as she nodded politely to him. "I'm sure that is your possessions in the bundle next to the boarding ramp.

The nightsister looked startled. "So it is decided."

"The Force chose, Merrin."

"I'm sure I did as well." Merrin responded, taking a firm grip of Cal's hand. "I suppose that this is what destiny looks like."

"It's a fine destiny, Merrin." Jaro observed. "You will be travelling the galaxy, and solving problems. Plus, I imagine that you're good with plants."

"I'm good with nature, Master Tapal. Now, I suppose I should be boarding your shuttle."

Cal couldn't hold in the beaming smile as they walked up the boarding ramp, arm in arm.


End file.
